


Case Closed

by chaostheoryy



Category: Broadchurch
Genre: F/M, Fix-It, Fluff, Spoilers, These sorry gits finally get to hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-07
Updated: 2015-12-07
Packaged: 2018-05-05 10:06:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5371283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaostheoryy/pseuds/chaostheoryy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With the Sandbrook case closed and Claire and Lee in jail, D.I. Alec Hardy isn't entirely sure Broadchurch has anything left for him. Ellie Miller, on the other hand, has no intention of letting him go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Case Closed

**Author's Note:**

> So I finished season 2 and, needless to say, I had one qualm about the season's ending. Here I am attempting to fix it.  
> #LetAlecAndEllieHug2K15

It was over. 

All of it.

Claire and Lee were finally in custody for Pepper and Lisa's deaths. Joe Miller's trial was over. Everything Alec Hardy had spent years beating himself up over were removed from his life in an instant. But rather than feeling completely relieved, he felt particularly empty.

What was he to do now? Where was he to go?

In his mind, he saw only one solution: leave. He would leave Broadchurch and Sandbrook behind. He would find somewhere new to live out the rest of his lonely life.

But there was one thing, one _person_ , holding him back.

Ellie Miller.

* * *

 

Ellie stood before him in his shithole of a home, arms crossed and plaintive eyes full of unspoken truths. She had gone through so much recently. Her friends had turned against her, the entire town viewing her as the wife of a killer. Her relationship with her son had been shattered for the longest time. And she had battled through it all. She had never stopped fighting to take back her dignity and earn the trust of those around her. She was stubborn. Just like he was. Maybe that's why he liked her so much.

"When does your taxi come?"

Alec inhaled deeply and leaned heavily against the table. "About half an hour," he replied as he gazed up at the ceiling for a moment, "You don't have to wait around."

"'Kay."

 A blanket of silence fell over them following. Deep down, Alec didn't want to go. Just thinking about it made him feel uneasy. This was the first place since his divorce that he felt comfortable. Here in Broadchurch, here with Ellie, he felt... _home_. But if his personal history had taught him anything, it was that he was destined to be alone. Whether he said goodbye now or in another three months, he was going to end up right back where he started: on his own.

"Miller," he began hesitantly, "I couldn't have done this without you."

A confused, almost hurt expression seeped onto Ellie's face. "Don't you go being nice to me. That's not how this works."

"I'm serious, Miller," he said sternly, "If it wasn't for you, I never would have solved this case."

"Damn right you wouldn't have."

The playful smirk that ghosted over Ellie's lips was brief and within an instant the near-frown that had been resting there before was back in its place. Alec immediately felt guilty. All that pain, all that sadness in her life, and he couldn't do a thing about it. In fact, right now, he was a part of it.

"Where will you go?"

Alec lowered his head and tightened his grip on the edge of the table. "Don't know. Somewhere close to Daisy, I want to be near my daughter."

"Quite right." She paused and looked around for a moment before pulling her hand from her jacket and crossing the room toward him, hand outstretched. "Well, thanks for everything."

Alec nearly felt his stomach sink with disappointment. "A handshake?"

Ellie's eyes shifted again. "Well, I'm not hugging you."

Alec nodded slightly and pushed himself off the table and took her hand in a firm shake, a soft, genuine smile tugging at his lips as he looked down at her.

"You take care of yourself, Miller."

Some kind of war was raging in Ellie's mind. Alec could see it in her eyes. For a moment, he wondered what on Earth it could be. But he had no time to ask. He had barely begun processing a possible inquiry when Ellie did the unexpected.

"Sod it all," she mumbled before stepping forward and throwing her arms around his neck.

Alec nearly stumbled back at the embrace. Despite his secret desire for it, he had no idea just how overwhelming it would be to finally receive such an expression of affection.

"Miller..."

"Shut up and let me hug you, for God's sake."

He felt a small smile pull at the corner of his mouth. He could hear her voice quiver and knew immediately that she was crying into his shoulder. Without a moment's hesitation, he leaned down and reciprocated the embrace, wrapping his arms around her torso and pressing the side of his head against hers.

"Thank you," he murmured, "For everything."

To his surprise, Ellie pulled away and gave him a stern look. "Don't you start getting all sappy on me. I'm not letting you leave."

Alec furrowed his brow in confusion. "What?"

"I told you, we're not all alone." She gave him a soft smile, tears still gathering in her eyes. "Now come on."

She turned and headed toward the door, pausing only to grab one of his bags. Vexed by her sudden action, Alec grabbed his remaining possessions and rushed out the door after her.

"And where exactly is it we're going then?"

Ellie turned and smiled up at him. "You, me, Tom, and Fred are going out to dinner. Then we're going home so we can all get some proper rest."

Alec was in complete disbelief. Either he had found himself in another disease-induced dream or he had somehow found himself in a dream come true. And when Ellie hooked her arm around his waist to lean against him as they walked, he was absolutely certain it was the latter.


End file.
